Reply To: How are clear intentions and process cues different?

[Noa Kageyama]

Hi Elma,

You’re right – finding a phrase that really captures the “what” is not always so easy. Remember back to the ASU golf study, where the successful golfers had two things in mind? The target (clear intention) and the general kinesthetic feel of a successful stroke (process cue)? Same thing with centering for us, except that instead of a visual target, ours is auditory.

So as you suggested, yes, rather than using words for either the clear intention or process cue, just focus your attention on hearing exactly what you want, with every detail and nuance, then pairing this with exactly what it feels like kinesthetically when you produce exactly what you hear in your head.

And ultimately, much of centering will happen all at once, as a combined set of steps – you can, for instance, hear and feel the opening simultaneously as you are breathing and releasing muscle tension.